Fireproof building



No. 6|4,475. Patented Nov. 22, |898.

y E. V. JOHNSUN.

FIREPBOOF BUILDING.

(Application filed Apr. 9, 1898.)

(No Model.)

/NVE/vToR TH. OHRIS PETERS CO P'HonlLITNO.. WASHINGTON, n. C4

raras ERNEST V. JOHNSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS..

FIREPROOF BUILDING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 614,475, dated November22, 1898.

Application filed April 9 1898.

To all whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, ERNEST V. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States,residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Fireproof-BuildingConstructions, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in lireproof-building constructionscomposed of a steel framework and a tilework construction filling thespace between the steel beams or framework-pieces and surrounding thesame. I-Ieretofore in such fireproof-building construct-ions the flatarch or tile construction fitting the space between the horizontal steelbeams and forming the horizontal partitions or floors and ceilings ofthe building has proven more or less weak, faulty, and liable todestruction,especiallyin cases of Iire where water is thrown upon theheated tilework, thus causing the same 'to crack, break, and fall,sometimes an upper iioor upon the one below, thus breaking it and everysucceeding iioor below, and causing very great expense in repairing thebuilding.

The object of my invention is to provide a iiat arch or horizontaltilework construction of much greater strength than that heretofore inuse without materially increasing the thickness and weight of the archor tilework, which will be efficient and durable, simple and cheap inconstruction, and which will also be capable of effectually resistingthe action of lire and water, and which can be readily and cheaplyrepaired, and which will effectually prevent all danger from thebreaking and falling of one floor upon the one below from breaking andcarrying down all the other floors below'the falling one.

I have discovered and demonstrated by my experiments a very simple,cheap, and efficient means by which the effective strength of tileworkhorizontal partitions or floor-arches maybe increased many fold; andherein my invention primarily consists-that is to say, it consists inthe combination,with the beams of the steel or metal framework of thebuilding and the tilework partition or flat arch filling the spacebetween the metal beams, of a tensile-acting sheet of metal, either aplain metal sheet or a metal-fabric sheet-such, for

Serial No. 677,011. (No model.)

bends at intervals to fit between the joints of the separate pieces oftile, these right-angle folds or flanges extending in the direction ofthe arch or tile courses; and as this tensileacting metal sheet ormember is rigidly connected or cemented throughout its whole surfacewith the tilework or arch it adds very greatly to the effective strengththereof, my

experiments showing that my improved tilework partition or arch is fromlive to ten times as strong as the same tilework partition or arch iswithout the tensile-acting metal sheet or member combined therewith. Therightangle flanges or folds in the tensile-acting metal sheet or memberserve, by fitting between the jointsof the tile courses, not only tomore rigidly and firmly imite the tensileacting member to the tilework,but also to materially increase the strength of the structure as awhole, these ianges or folds being preferably about two inches in widthor height, The tensile-acting metal sheet or member is also providedwith similar but narrower right-angle foldsor Han ges projecting fromits lower or outer surface, and the space between these lower iianges orfolds I ill in with thin supplemental tile firmly cemented thereto,the

supplemental tile being preferably composed of a composition ofasbestos. The thin supplemental tile is held in place on the lower orouter surface of the tensile-acting metal sheet or member by the cementand by the right-angle folds or anges projecting from the lower surfaceof the tensile-acting member or sheet. This supplemental tile layerserves to protect the main tilework structure and the tensile-actingmetal sheet or member from fire and heat and from the destructiveeffects of water in case of fire. If in case of re the thin supplementaltile layer should be in whole or in part broken, injured, or destroyed,it can be very readily and cheaply repaired whenever injured in whole orin part by simply removing and replacing the broken example, as wire-netting-extending from or injured supplemental tile by new onesb In theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and in whichsimilar letters of reference indicate like parts throughout all theviews, Figure l is a Vertical longitudinal section through a horizontaltilework partition or flat arch of a fireproof-building constructionembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2 2of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view showing a portion of theten- Sile-actin g metal member, the same being here represented ascomposed of a plain or solid sheet of metal; and Fig. 4 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 3, but on a somewhat smaller scale, showing thetensile-acting metal sheet or member composed of wire-netting or othermetal fabric.

In the drawings, A A represent the steel beams forming a portion of thesteel framework of the building.

B is a horizontal tilework partition or flat arch composed, preferably,of hollow tile l), laid in the usual courses, extending from steel beamA to steel beam A, the meeting or abutting faces ZJ of the tile i) ineach course being inclined to give the required arch action. The tile hmay be of any suitable form or construction known to those skilled inthe art; but I prefer to employ, and have therefore illustrated in thedrawings, the particular form and construction of tile l) heretoforepatented to me in Letters Patent of the United States No. 456,309, ofJuly 21,1801, although, as before stated, any other suitableconstruction of tile may be employed in practicing my present invention.

D is the tensile-acting member or sheet. The same may be either a solidsheet of metal, as illustrated in Fig. 3, or a perforated sheet, asillustrated in Fig. 4, the latter being the preferred form, as theperforations d give the cement a better action in rigidly uniting thetensile sheet-metal member D with the main tilework B and thesupplemental thin tile C. The tensile-acting member or sheet D isprovided with longitudinal integral folds CZ', projecting at rightangles from the upper or inner surface of the tensile-acting metal mem-`ber D and fitting in the joints b2 of the contiguous courses of tilel). The tensile-acting metal member or sheet D extends longitudinallyand continuously from beam to beam, and may preferably be made in longstrips spanning a large number of the metal beams A A, theupwardly-projecting flanges or folds d having notches (Z2 therein toaccommodate the beams A. The longitudinal tensile-acting metal member orsheet D may be made of any suitable width that the merchantable metalsheet or fabric ordinarily comes in, although I prefer that the sameshould not be less than a yard or such matter in width.

The tensile-acting metal member, sheet, or strip D is also provided withlongitudinal integral iianges or folds da, projecting from its lower orouter face, which fit between the oints of the courses of the thin fiatsupplemental tile C. The longitudinal flanges or folds d', which fitbetween the joints of the courses of the main tile b, are preferablyabout two inches in width, so as to give a firm hold of the same in thecement filling the joint between the tile l) and also to moreeffectually strengthen the structure as a whole. The lower or outerprojecting folds or fianges d3 are much narrower, the width beingpreferably somewhat less than the thickness of the thin supplementaltile C.

The thin supplemental tile C maybe made of clay or any other suit-ablematerial, but, as before stated, are preferablyT made of asbestoscomposition. As these supplemental tile are comparatively thin andlight, they can be made of this more Aexpensive and more fireproofmaterial without materially adding to the cost of the building.

In constructing my invention or providing a building with it the thinsupplemental tile C are first set or putin place under the beams A A andon top of the wood centering or false construction of the arch, saidtile being preferably laid dry. The tensile-acting metal sheet or memberD, if of the perforated form shown in Fig. l, is next applied, and thena layer of cement is applied, which fill the interstices or perforationsof the metal sheet D and the joints of the tile C. If an imperforatemetal sheet D is employed, as indicated inFig. 3, a cement coating isapplied to the tile O before the metal sheet D is laid in place. Afterthe cement becomes set the main tile l) are next set orembedded in placeon top of the metal member in cement f, which unites the same to themetal member and fills the joints of the tile.

In constructing my invention the thin supplemental tile C may, ifpreferred, be entirely omitted and a thick coating of asbestosplastering or other fire-resisting composition be plastered or beddedupon the wood centering or false work before the metal member isapplied.

I wish it to be understood that I do not claim as my invention the idea,broadly, of providing a main tile partition or fiat arch with asupplemental tilework covering secured to and supported from the maintilework structure.

I claim- 1. The fireproof-building constructiomcomprising in combinationmetal framework beams, a tilework partition or flat arch extending incourses between said beams, and a tensile-acting metal member or sheetextending from beam to beam and covering and cemented to the lower orouter surface of the tilework partition or arch, substantially asspecified.

2. The fireproof-buildin g construction,co1n prising in combination-metal-framework beams, a tilework partition or flat arch extending incourses between said beams, and a tensile-acting metal member or sheeteX- tending from beam to beam and covering and IOO IIC

cemented to the lower or outer surface of the tilework partition orarch, said tensile-acting metal member or sheet having longitudinaliianges or folds fitting between the joints of the tile courses,substantially as specified.

3. Theiireproof-buildingconstruction,com prising in combinationmetalframework beams, a tilework partition or flat arch eX- tending incourses between said beams, and a tensile-acting metal member or sheeteX- tending from beam to beam and covering and cemented to the lower orouter surface of the tilework partition or arch, said tensile-actingmetal member or sheet having longitudinal flanges or folds fittingbetween the joints of the tile courses, and thin supplemental tilecovering and cemented to the lower or outer surface 0f saidtensile-acting metal member or sheet, substantially as specified.

4:. The iireproof-building c0nstruction,com prising in combinationmetalframework beams, a tilework partition or fiat arch eX- tending incourses between said beams, and a tensile-acting metal member or sheeteX- tending from beam to beam and covering and cemented to the lower orouter surface of the tilework partition or arch, said tensile-actingmetal member or sheet having longitudinal flanges or folds fittingbetween the joints of the tile courses, and thin supplemental tilecovering and cemented to the lower or outer surface of saidtensile-acting metal member or sheet, said tensile-acting metal memberor sheet having longitudinal ianges or folds fitting between the jointsof the courses of said thin supplemental tile, substantially asspecified.

5. The fireproof-building construction,com prising in combinationmetalframework beams, a tilework partition or iiat arch extending incourses between said beams, and a tensile-acting metal member or sheeteX- tending from beam t0 beam and covering and cemented to the lower orouter surface of the tilework partition or arch, said sheet-metal memberor sheet having perforations through the same to give the cement abetter hold thereon, substantially as specified.

6. The fireproof-building construction,comprising in combination :metalframework beams, a tilework partition or iiat arch eX- tending incourses between said beams, and a tensile-acting metal member or sheetextending from beam to beam and covering and cemented to the lower orouter surface of the tilework partition or arch, said tensile-actingmetal member or sheet having longitudinal flanges or folds fittingbetween the joints of the tile courses, and said longitudinal flan gesor folds having notches to accommodate the metal beams, substantially asspecified.

7. The ireproof--building construction ,comprising in combinationmetalframework beams, a tilework partition or fiat arch eX- tending incourses between said beams, and a tensile-acting metal member or sheeteX- tending from beam to beam and covering and cemented to the lower orouter surface of the tilework partition or arch, said tensile-actingmetal member or sheet having longitudinal flanges or folds fittingbetween the joints of the tile courses, said sheet-metal member or sheethaving perforations through the same to give the cement a better holdthereon, sub-v stantially as specified.

ERNEST V. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

H. M. MUNDAY, L. E. CURTIS.

